Stopper or closure for bottles and jars.



w No. 856.840. PATENTED JUNE 11, 1907.

F. A. BIRD.

STOPPER 0R GLOSURB FOR BOTTLES AND JARS.

APPLICATION FILED 0014,1906.

2 SHBETBSHEIIT 1.

WITNESSLES m nonms PETERS co.. mun-moron. n. c.

No. 856,840. PATENTED JUNE 11, 1907. F. A. BIRD. STOPPER OR CLOSURE FORBOTTLES AND JARS.

APPLIOATION FILED DOT-4. 19.06.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Fig 8.

Illllllllllllll lllllllllllllll ENTOR llllllllllllllllIIIIIIIIIIIIIIHHL' 6o INV WITNESSES UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

STOPPER OR CLOSURE FOR BOTTLES AND JARS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 11, 1907.

Application filed October 4:, 1906. Serial No. 337,446.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FREDERICK AUGUSTUS BIRD, a subject of the King ofGreat Britain, residing at The Poplars, Sutton Road, Erdington, nearBirmingham, England, have invented certain new and useful ImprovementsRelating to Stoppers or Closures for Bottles and Jars, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention has relation to means for preventing stoppers or closuresof bottles and jars from being entirely removed from the latter, andthus getting lost or mislaid, and is particularly applicable to stoppersfor that type of bottle or jar in which the upper part of the neck isprovided with a collar on the outside, or is of greater diameter thanthe remaining part of the neck, and is applicable to stoppers which areoperated by a rotatory movement, and which are either internal, such asthose externally screwed and taking into the internally wormed mouth ofthe bottle, or are external, such as those provided with internalinclined lugs adapted to take under corresponding inclined lugs on theoutside of the mouth of the bottle.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved keeper or bail forpreventing the stopper being entirely removed from the bottle or jar,which is readily removable or detachable for cleaning or other purposes,and is moreover simple in construction and can thus be cheaplymanufactured.

The invention consists essentially in providing a loop or ring fittingloosely on the bottle neck below the collar or enlarged part, anddetachably connected to the stopper,

by a spring sided bail or yoke, so that it permits the stopper beingrotated and raised to a limited extent, but prevents it from beingentirely removed owing to the aforesaid loop or ring. coming against thecollar on the mouth of theneck.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents a front elevation ofthe improved keeper or bail applied to an externally screwed stoppertaking into the wormed interior of the bottle mouth. Fig. 2 shows a sideelevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the keeper showingthe stopper removed from the bottle, and also showing how the loose ringon the bottle neck admits of the upward movement of the keeper for theremoval of the stopper. Fig. 4 shows a front elevation with the sides ofthe bail drawn outward for the detachment of the same from the loosering. Fig. 4, is a section of the stopper showing the means of securingthe sleeve in which the bail turns. Fig. 5 represents a cross section ofthe bottle neck and showing the loose ring in plan. Fig. 6 shows in planand elevation the loose ring before being bent or fashioned into acircular form around the bottle neck. Fig. 7 shows a front elevation ofthe invention applied to an external stopper having inside inclined lugsadapted to take under correspondingly inclined lugs on the bottle mouth.In this view the stopper is shown removed from the bottle mouth. Fig. 8shows aside elevation with the stopper applied to the mouth. Fig. 9 is asimilar view to the above, but with the stopper shown in section. Figs.

10,11 and 12 show in side elevation and sect-ion slightly modified meansof attaching the bail to the ring on the bottle neck.

The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each ofthe above figures.

In carrying out this invention, the stopper (1 is provided with a bailor U-shaped member I) of stout wire, hinged to the top of the stopper bya sleeve 0 separate from the cap formed of a folded piece of sheet metalwith the ends passed through the cap and these secured. The said bail bhas depending spring sides, the free or lower ends I), b of which areturned inward approximately at right angles and are by the contractileforce of the sides engaged with and hinged to vertically disposed eyesor loops at, d at the opposite sides of a ring d surrounding the bottleneck 6. This ring (1 which is made of stout wire is sprung on the bottleneck a and fits loosely on the latter below the collar or enlarged mouth6 and is of less diameter than the latter so that it can only be removedby exerting sullicient pressure to open or extend the spring to allow itto pass over the enlarged mouth 0 but is nevertheless capable of alimited upward and downward as well as a rotary movement. It will benoticed that the bottle neck is of varying diameter and thatconsequently the resistance is greatly minimized when the ring isremoved from its normal position.

The ring is formed from a length of stout wire having eyes or loopsformed as shown in Fig. 6, and adapted to be fashioned into a circularform surrounding the bottle neck, and having the ends overlapping.

The ends 5 b of the bail b are kept in engagement with the eyes or loopsof the ring (1 by the contractile pressure exerted by the spring sides,but the bail with the attached stopper a may be completely detached fromthe ring d by exerting an outward pressure on the said spring sides,when the ends of the same will be disengaged from the eyes d (1 and thebail and stopper removed. By thus making the bail and stopper detachablecleaning or washing of the latter is greatly facilitated.

In Fig. 9 the stopper a is shown provided on its inside with inclinedlugs (1 which, when the stopper is placed over the bottle mouth 6 areadapted by rotation to engage with or take under correspondinglyinclined lugs e on the said bottle mouth. The bail b is as before hingedto the top of the stopper at c, and the lower turned-in ends 6 b engagewith the eyes d 61 of a ring d fitted loosely surrounding the bottleneck.

In the forms disclosed by Figs. 10, 1 1 and 12 the bail l) which ishinged at c to the stopper a, has the lower ends of its spring sidesformed into loops or eyes 5 b while the opposite sides of the ring (1are formed with outstanding parts or studs (P, d which take into anddetachably engage with the aforesaid loops of the bail. It is alsoobvious that the ends 6 b of the bail b may be turned outward as in Fig.12, and engaged with the loops or eyes (F, d of the ring d by theexpansion of the same.

In removing a stopper from a bottle fitted with this invention, as thestopper is rotated, the bail and loop around the bottle neck rotate withit and when raised it is prevented from being entirely removed by theloop with which the bail is engaged coming against the collar on theneck, but the stopper and arch piece can be turned over off the mouthagainst the outside of the bottle, and thus the contents of the latterfreely poured out or removed.

Having fully described my invention, what I desire to claim and secureby Letters Patent 1. In a bottle stopper, the combination of a springbail, a rotatable and slidable spring ring surrounding the bottle neckand having its ends overlapping, the said bail being attached with itscentral portion to the stopper and detachably engaged with its ends toopposite points of the ring. a

2. In a bottle stopper, the combination of a spring bail, a rotatableand slidable spring ring being bent at opposite points to form eyes andhaving its ends overlapping, the said bail being attached with itscentral por tion to the stopper and detachably engaged with its ends tothe eyes of the ring.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing wit- IIGSSGS.

FREDERICK AUGUSTUS BIRD. Witnesses:

HY. SKERRETT, HENRY NORTON SKERRETT.

